Electric furnace.



Patented Apr. I7, |900.

M. BUTHENBURG.

ELECTRIC FUBNACE.

(Applicatinn led Nov. 22, 1899.)

(No Model.)

INVENTORQ ffl/iwf Mmmm/r6,

WITNESSES:

we Nbnms PETERS co., Pam-ammo., wAsmNa-ron, n. c4

NiTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MARCUS RUTHENBURG, OF PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC FU RNACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,614, dated April17, 1900. Application filed November 22, 1899. Serial No. 737,853. (Nomodel.)

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, MARCUS RUTHENBURG, of Philadelphia, in the State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inElectric Furnaces, whereof the following is a specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to an electric furnace peculiarly adapted to beused in smelting and relinin g ores. As ordinarily constructed suchfurnaces are arranged to be operated intermittently, the material to betreated being alternately charged and discharged with respect to ahearth.

. Itis the object of my invention to provide a furnace of suchconstruction and arrangement as to permit of the continuous operationthereof, and thus increase the output by avoiding the delays incident tothe operation of charging and discharging aforesaid.

My invention consists in a furnace comprising terminals of an electriccircuit opposed within a casing or bosh which is open at both .top andbottom and through which the material to be treated may be continuouslyfed, said furnace being provided beneath said bosh with a crucible toreceive the smelted material, said crucible comprising an outlet fromwhich the smelted material may be continuously overflowed anddischarged.

My invention also comprehends certain details of constructionhereinafter more definitely specified and claimed,

In the accompanying drawings, wherein have shown a convenient embodimentof my invention, Figure l is a central longitudinal sectional View, andFig. 2 is a transverse sectional viewA Fig. '3 is a perspective view ofthe bosh.

In said figures, A is the casing or bosh, which is open at both top andbottom, as shown, and is preferably in the form of an invertedquadrilateral pyramid conveniently formed of slabs of refractorymaterial. Said bosh is formed of the peculiarshape indicated in orderthat the material may be retarded in passing therethrough and in ameasure supported by the inclined side walls thereof until liquefied.The opposed walls a a of said bosh are perforated to receive theproximal ends of the electrodes B B', which are mounted to slide withintubular bearings C C', provided with means, such as the screws D D', tofacilitate theirlongitudinal adjustment. Said bearings C C aresurrounded by jackets E E in such relation therewith as to permit theflow of water or any other convenient cooling medium therebetween, thecirculation of said cooling medium being conveniently effected by meansof inlets c e and outlets e2 e3. Said bearings and the jacketssurrounding them are respectively insulated and mounted upon standards FF in rigid relation in connection with the current-conductors f f.Beneath said bosh A is a crucible G, preferably of hemispherical form,as shown. Said Crucible is provided with an outlet g at its top, be-fneatli said bosh, arranged to overhang the wheeled receptacle or carrierH, so that the material overiiowed through said dischargeoutlet isdeposited Within said receptacle and may be conveniently removed.

The operation of the device is as follows: The material to be treated iscontinuously fed within the bosh A by any convenient means, and saidmaterial lodges within said bosh, upon the inclined sides thereof,untilliquefied by the current passing between the electrodes B BC Theliquefied material gravitates into the Crucible G and rising therein tothe level of the outlet gis discharged through the lat` ter. The moltenliquidwithin said crucible G forms an additional check to the passage ofthe unsmelted material through said bosh, and the furnace is to acertain extent selfregulated, in that the material is retained Withinthe bosh until smelted and is discharged therefrom as rapidly as it isliquelied, the rate of flow being of course determined by the nature ofthe material and the proportions of the current employed. Vllen theterminals B B are composed of carbon, I find that advantageous resultsare secured when the current passing therethrough equals one thousandamperes per square inch of the cross-section thereof.

In view of the state of the art it is to be un derstood that I do notdesire to broadly claim IOO tric furnace the elements hereinbefore de-2. In an electric furnace, the combination with opposed terminals ol anelectric circuit, of a bosh of quadrilateral form, laterally1 inclosingsaid terminals and open at the top and bottom thereof, a Crucibledirectly be neath said bosh, andan overflow-outlet at the top of saidCrucible, substantially as .set forth.

IIIARCIIS RUTI'IENBURG.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR E. Pillen, E. L. FULLERTON.

